Eleanor And Park - Rainbow Rowell

[lennon_fontaine14]

I have to inhale and exhale HARD (for like gazillion times) before closing the book and stare at nothing as my heart starts to make irregular heartbeats to which I thought was because my hypothalamus is already searching for Eleanor and Park’s whereabouts.

It was heart-achingly beautiful. It was like my heart have been teared into million pieces and brought back (with life and heartbeats that could rock the life out of me) with those three words.

She reminded Park of a scarecrow or one of the trouble dolls his mom kept on her dresser. Like something that wouldn’t survive in the wild.

The story happened around August 1986 where in two sixteen-year-olds found themselves accidentally falling in love with each other through their common interests. Though you would find Park quite irritated with how Eleanor look and the way she dress herself.

So, what’s to adore about this book?

Those sweet gestures that’ll make your heart flutter again and again. Eventhough the setting was far from the way I grew up (like technologies and whatnot), I still feel the tingles running all over my body whenever they exchange those sweet shy gestures that is obviously part of being a sixteen year old kid that is new to loovee. It made me remember the first time I experience those things when I was in my sixth grade. (which is way too young!) Yea, tried holding hands with a boy and we immediately separate ‘cos we are both sweating (from fear. hahaha).

“I think I live for you. I don’t think I even breather when we’re not together.”
And you think I can live now without even thinking the two of you every now and then? You guys are my brand of Romeo and Juliet (the best version EVER).

“I want everyone to meet you. You’re my favorite person of all time.”
“She’s nothing and you’re… everything. You’re everything, Eleanor.

Well, I am more than sure that this is my favorite book of all time. I was really about to go mad on how these books that I’ve read nowadays makes me feel like I’m really living in their time and place and then for like two days left me like a lifeless organism breathing purposely just to reminisce the last words I’ve read from the book and after which- completely zoning out from reality.

There’s no shame with Park. Nothing is dirty. Because Park is the sun.

It was really hard to get back to your life (normally) when you know that after you’re done reading the book, your heart won’t stop from aching on how good or bad or worse- how cliff hanging the story ended up. Imagine how a book could change everything about you when you’ve just held it for less than two days? Or I’m just being a dork, or over reacting or worse- I’m crazy.

Hoping this will help you to decide what is next on your to-read and books-to-love-until-eternity list!

[spablo_94]

Eleanor and Park was the first book I've read that's written by Rainbow Rowell. I was hooked from the very beginning, even though most of the scenes happened on the school bus. I liked how the author tells the story of the two. How they fell in love and why they fell apart. I was so heart broken when I got to the ending. At first, I was hoping that the book will not end that way. But when I think of it, I guess it's better to end the book that way. It's more realistic because a person can't just easily move on from all the bad things that happened to his or her life.

-- 19 Apr 2015, 13:12 --

I loved this book and I'll give it 4 out of 4 stars. However, I was so disappointed of the ending. I know that it's much more realistic that the book ended that way, but I was hoping for a happy ending. But then again, I will totally recommend this to anyone. It's totally worth to read.

[Laurawrites33]

A wonderful novel, then I highly recommend. Rainbow Rowell really has a talent for nailing dialogue and teenage angst. Our bookclub read this a few months ago, and everyone was very moved. Highly recommend!

[Hcollins1221]

I read this book in a day, and then reread it a week later because it was that good! I love how both Park and Eleanor do not fit any stereotypical high school molds.

[Sarah Clay]

I've been wanting to read this book for a long time, but I'm wary about it, considering how cliché and annoying the recent YA romance has become.

[Btkgarrity]

I agree with the other reviewers. The book was very different from what I expected. Eleanor & Park shows the readers that appearances do not matter. Eleanor does not try to change her personality or outfits. She starts to be more outgoing because of Park. Park realizes how cruel the people he hangs out with really are and stands up for Eleanor to show how much she means to him.
Spoiler:
Eleanor and Park start to fall for each other but there is just so many things stopping them from being together. Eleanor's stepdad is always screaming at Eleanor and has kicked her out before. People think Eleanor and Park are not a good match, like you might think from looking at them, but you truly have to read their thoughts to find that they are really a perfect couple on the inside. The ending is shocking, but I still love the book. Read this book as soon as you can

[Chelssjames]

Eleanor and Park is one of my all time favourite books. The way the book is layed out, the two person narrator, just everything about this book is amazing I literally couldn't fault it. I loved how you got to hear both sides of the story for a change and get a perspective from both a young boy and girl. Absolutely brilliant.

[KWill20]

Such a great book!

[Abeer]

It's a good book, not as great as I was anticipating, but good nontheless!

[the_all_night_reader]

I loved this book from the start. I related to Eleanor so deeply that it felt like Rowell was writing my life story beginning to end. Their love was young and beautiful. Beautiful in a way that no other love story felt like real love. Then real life set in, the truth came out about her secret past, that she was working so hard to cover up. Bad things happen and you have to just deal with it and try to move on.

I also disagree with many of the oppinions that have been said about the ending. I, like most of you was emotionaly tramatized by what happened, but the ending was perfect. It makes the reader think, leaves the audience in a state of wonder, making you want more, NEED more. It was very well writen and excites me to read more of Rowell's material.

[bettiannasbookcrush]

Wonderful book review! I have had this on my to be read pile for quite some time and I finally got a chance to borrow it from my sister! I loved the whole "forbidden love" aspect behind it

[Line Elise]

I absolutely LOVE "Eleanor and Park"! The way it's written...there just aren't words to describe it. Nice review too!

"She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something." -Park (Rainbow Rowell)

[biabobia]

Eleanor and Park drove me absolutely crazy, sending me on a roller coaster of emotions. The quotes from the book are amazing and will probably stay with me forever. Rowell's writing is truly beautiful and the whole plot of the book was gorgeous.

[Noriki23]

Eleanor And Park - Rainbow Rowell

I was sucker punched, emotionally invested (hugely), horrified, awed, saddened, at times uplifted, grateful for some aspects of human nature and then human nature made me horrified by morally repugnant events. I guess what I'm trying to communicate without being overly sappy (and failing) how much this book made me feel. Highs and lows. It was demoralizing and insightful at the same time. There are so many simple moments of raw emotion on each opposite end of the spectrum and they transition so rapidly, you find yourself going, whoah how'd we get here when we were literally just over there? But in a good way.

[Beccaa]

I need to read this badly!!!